Community Spotlight: Community efforts against youth substance use

BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—In a recent Community Spotlight segment, Randy Bigley sat down with Christi Eckert from the Marion Crawford Prevention Programs to discuss the ongoing efforts of two local coalitions focused on youth substance use prevention.

Eckert highlighted the efforts of Drug Free Marion, which recently hosted a successful Family Fun Day attended by nearly 400 people. “It was just a fun day with bounce houses, snacks, food, and local resources. Each resource had an engagement activity for the kids,” she said. The event aimed to show families how to enjoy a substance-free day while providing necessary resources.

In addition to community events, the coalitions are tackling more complex issues, such as vape shop density. “We’ve noticed that there’s constantly a vape shop popping up,” Eckert noted. Both Marion and Crawford counties have a high percentage of vape shops per capita, with Crawford County having more than Marion. The coalitions are exploring ways to regulate the proliferation of these shops to prevent youth access to vaping products.

Eckert also pointed out a significant regulatory gap: “Vapor shops are not licensed if they don’t carry traditional cigarettes, so there’s no regulation on them.” This lack of oversight is a concern for the coalitions, which aim to keep vaping products out of the hands of youth.

Both coalitions utilize the “Talk. They Hear You.” campaign to help parents have ongoing conversations with their children about substance use. In Crawford County, youth are working on a prom campaign to encourage their peers to stay substance-free during prom, graduation, and spring break seasons.

Eckert emphasized the importance of community involvement, inviting individuals passionate about substance use prevention to join the coalitions. “More hands make lighter work,” she said, highlighting the need for additional support to carry out their projects.

For more information, the coalitions have active Facebook pages, Drug Free Marion and Crawford Prevention Coalition—and are working on launching websites this year.